MY YANKEES: AIMING TO WIN IN 2014

It’s about the kids and saving money. That's what the Yankees are now. They have made their statement. They have ignored requests from fans for player after player because this isn't about the fan, is it? No. This is about the Yankees.  It's always been about the Yankees. Stupid me for thinking otherwise.  We are the zombies who follow our team through fire and chaos no matter what. So us bitching now about all the reasons why we need top pitching, or a top catcher or a right handed outfielder (Cashman's words not mine) are just ignored. Why? Because we're zombies, and we'll be back Opening day no matter what guys the New York Yankees put on the field. And guess what, Yankee brass knows this.

Hey, this is actually a positive post.  I'm not kidding.  Yup, through the sarcasm there's an underlying message. The Yankees aren't looking to win in 2013. We're looking to win in 2014 and beyond. That's the goal. We’re now the future. But they'll never tell us that because that would show weakness.  And so, statements like "we ain't done yet" will come out over and over until we are blinded by the love of our Yankees in spring training. We'll forget, we always do. And this will then give the Yankee ownership more time and they’ll move a bit closer in time to 2014. WE'RE ZOMBIES!

Now, if our club DOES win it all with the talent we have in 2013, that’s great. It is possible after all. But just so you know,  It's my gut feeling that the goal right now is to develop young talent and save a couple bucks. And, if you got Brian Cashman into a corner at a party and fed him a scotch or two, I would bet he'd whisper that to you as well.

(In Photo: Dante Bichette Jr.)
Now, everybody knows I am the first person to tell you that I see great things in guys like Ty Hensley and Cito Culver and Dante Bitchette Jr and Tyler Austin and Mark Montgomery too.  In many regards, we need to be thankful these guys aren't trading chips.  But some also want the “pro ready” guy NOW, like a Giancarlo Stanton, or a Justin Upton, or Jason Kubel or ANYONE who can handle being a New York Yankee and represent. Why? Because we're used to it, that's why.

Look, There were multiple opportunities to pick up a big guy in a trade, but we never engaged anyone.  Even Scott Hairston got away, not that I expected him to come to the Yankees, but geez Yanks, at least lie to me.  Show me you are at least thinking about the fans.  I'd much rather hear Cashman say they made a great offer and "he didn't bite" rather than, "we didn't make ANY offer."  That is the Yankee ownership not doing their job. That's pathetic

(In Photo: Slade Heathcott)

I love Yankees youth.  Mix it in with veteran ballplayers and that produces a winning ball club.  Veterans become teachers. Youth provide energy and with that, there is talent, chemistry and wins. But if the Yankees keep touting our “great young” talent and we never see them, how frustrating is that?  At the same time, we’ve done nothing in the off season.  How frustrating is that?  Dare I say, if there was one athlete that fit the exact description of why Brian Cashman let Raul Ibanez walk,  it was Michael Morse.

Or hey,  look at Justin Upton. I would rather the Yankees step forward and say to all us Yankee fans “We have failed you” rather than (HERE) “I’m surprised to hear that there’s anger, if you see what we’ve done this off season...we’ve signed three or four of the top free agents on the market. We’re going to continue to field a championship-caliber team. I’m a little surprised to hear that.” Sorry Hal, you’re not your dad… and you’re not fooling anyone. Or, maybe he is… we’re zombies remember? We’ll forget as soon as pitchers and catchers begins because we’ll be in awe… our boys will be back!

Let me be clear.  I love my New York Yankees.  I also have amazing faith in a “hands tied” Brian Cashman, but for the love of God, there needs to be a very, very important reason why Yankee fans are being blantantly ignored and I rack my brain trying to figure it out all the time.  “We ain’t done yet” is repeated, over and over and then I crack open the New York Post and Justin Upton is traded… without so much as a flinch from Yankee brass.  Why?  What’s the reason the Yankees didn’t get Michael Morse?  Sure, there was no announcement from the Yanks that that was in the cards, but Jack Curry is great for 1 reason, he finds the nuggets and when he brought us THIS nugget below, we all knew why the Yankees were being patient, Michael Morse was about to be ours…  Then… in a flash…nothing.

So we settle and subliminally we’ll settle for 2014. Hey, that’s the goal I guess.  We wait for kids like Manny Banuelos and Jose Campos to lead the charge on the mound.  We cross our fingers Derek Jeter stays around and Mariano perhaps hangs on 1 more year.  We wait and hear about how “ready” Slade Heathcott is and how Brett Gardner will be in the best shape of his life and we do what we did in 2008 when we billed Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain and Ian Kennedy as the future rotation on the Yankees, only to have it blow up in our face. 

OR… we do the right thing, the thing I've been screaming about for months. We gather a few stable veterans in trades now… sprinkle them in with Derek Jeter and David Robertson and Ichiro Suzuki and bring up some of the kids and we win in 2013.  Hey… that’s my goal.  It’s always been my goal.  We win today and you know what? We win in 2014 too!  Building to win in 2014 or 2015 is something other teams do… not the Yankees. We've always won now, but we’re doing something different now ladies and gentlemen, whether you want to believe it or not.  I can’t explain it, I can’t understand it and I can’t stand it… but we are.

That’s my take anyway.



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